Conveying mechanism



April '25, 1933. W. E. WUNDERLICH CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1930 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 25, 1933- w. E. WUNDERLICH 1,906,036

CONVEYING MECHANI SM Filed May 28, 1930 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ap 1933. w. E. WUNDERLICH 1,906,036

CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 25, 1933. E; WU-NDERUCH 1,906,036

CONVEYING MECHAN I SM Filed May 28, 1930 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 25, 1933. w. E. WUNDERLICH CONVEYING MECHANI SM Filed May 28. 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 25, 1933. w. E. WUNDERLICH CONVEYING MECHANISM Filed May 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 MOP:

April 25, 1933. w. E. WUNDERLICH CONVEYING MECHAN ISM Filed May 28, 1930 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WUNDERLICH, F MUNCIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO MOORE GOMPAINY, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA CONVEYING MECHANISM Application filed May 28,-

My invention relates to conveying mechanism and is inclusive of an object supporting hook caused by a traveling conveyor to move therewith, a dislodging member for removing the object carried by the hook, and mechanism for operating the dislodging member.

relation to the dislodging hook is inclusive of means for lowering the dislodging hook to dip the object thereon into the vat and lifting the object from the vat and depositing it preferably upon the same supporting hook from which it was removed to cause this object again to travel with the conveyor. A drying or baking oven is arranged within the path of the object after such object has been dipped. The lifting and lowering mechanism is preferabl inclusive of an endless belt with which t e dislodging hook or other object carrier is joined, this belt being provided with means for defining an orbit for the place where it and the dislodging hook are joined to give the dislodging hook the motion required to dislodge the object from the traveling supporting hook, dip the object and thereafter place it upon said hook or another traveling supporting hook. v

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partial vertical section of the floor 23 and mechanism thereon in side elevation taken on the line 11 of Figure 5; Figure 2 is a partial vertical section of the floors 23 and 35 and the mechanism thereon in elevation taken on the plane 2-2 of Figure 5; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the mechanism below floor 23; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the mechanism below floor 23; Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 taken collectively with the right hand side of Fig. 1 in register with the 1930. Serial No. 458,563.

lower and left hand portion of Fig. 2 and the bottom portions of Figs. 1 and 2 in register with the top portions of Figs 3 and 4 constitute a sectional elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view on a reduced scale, parts being broken away; Figure 6 is an end elevation looking from the right hand side of Figure 2, some of the parts being shown in section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2; Figs. 6 and 7, taken collectively and with the bottom portion of Fig. 6 1n register with the top portion of Fig. 7 constitute a vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of Figs. 2 and 4; Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Figure 4, showing the mechanism in elevation; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of Figs. 6 and 7, parts being broken away and omitted; Fig. 9 is a. sectional view on line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 1010 of Fig. 4; Fig. 11 isa view illustratin the pivotal union between a dislodging hook and a chain that operates it, this figure being taken on line 1111 of Fig. 12; and Fi 12 is a sectional view on line 1212 of ig. 11.

The conveyor is inclusive of a traveling load support which is preferably in the form of an endless belt 1. This belt is desirably of chain formation, the links in the chain bein preferably formed to constitute a sproc et chain which is engaged by the teeth of a driving sprocket wheel 2 that effects the travel of the chain and which receives the teeth of an idling sprocket wheel 3 that cooperates with the wheel to guide the chain at one end of its orbit. A semi-circular row of rollers 4 guides the chain at the other end of its orbit, these rollers being carried upon a semi-circular rail 5. In the embodiment of the invention shown the endless belt is disposed in a horizontal plane so that the objects borne thereby may depend therefrom. The belt normally constantly travels at a slow and uniform rate of speed. It may be propelled by an electric motor 6 through the intermediation of a flat belt 7 driven by the motor and driving a pulley 8. This pulley is shown as being fixed upon a shaft 9 which carries a sprocket pinion that drives a sprocket chain 10. This sprocket chain drives a sprocket pinion that is fixed upon another shaft 11. This shaft carries a worm 12 which is in mesh with a worm wheel 13 which is fixed upon the shaft of sprocket wheel 2.

Hangers are coupled with and evenly distributed along the traveling load support or belt 1.- Each of these'hangers is desirably inclusive of two hooks 14 and 15 which are pivoted upon a carrier 16 that passes through one of the sprocket links with which link such carrier is fixedly connected as by means of a bolt 17, the carrier being formed with shoulders 18 which engage the bottom of such link to hold this link and carrier in fixed relation. The conveyor chain is desirably relieved of the weight of the hangers and the load portions upon the hangers in which event the carriers 16 are continued above the chain and are there assembled with stirrups 19, each stirrup being formed in two parts and secured to the corresponding carrier by means of the bolts 20, the two parts of the stirrup being brought into abutting engagement with the underlying chain link to further assure the rigid relation of each carrier with the underlying chain link. Anti-friction rollers 21 are provided at the upper ends of the stirrup and roll upon a stationary endless track 22 which overlies the orbit of the endless chain 1. This track is preferably of I beam construction as illustrated, and is supported by and from beneath the floor 23 by means of hangers 24. These hangers serve also to carry the supports 25 for the bearings of the sprocket wheels 2 and 3, these supports being preferably secured to the top of said track. Where the apparatus of my invention is employed for dipping polygonal objects such as bed-springs of which only the frames 26 are illustrated for simplicity, I make the books 14 and 15 of each hanger of unequal length so that the bight of one will be below the bight of the other and thereby cause the object carried thereby to tilt, so that the wet paint may drain therefrom.

The endless conveyor 1 travels in a clockwise direction and the objects or load portions 26 are placed upon the hangers 1415 that are propelled by the conveyor as these hangers are approaching the arcuate rail 5. Shortly after the hangers leave the locality of said arcuate rail they pass beneath mechanism, later to be described, which is employed to dislodge the objects or load portlons 26 therefrom in succession. In order that this dislodging mechanism may be certain to function it is important that the pivoted hanger hooks 14 and 15 be prevtented from swinging while under such mechanism. To this end these hooks desirably carry shoes 27 and 28, preferably in the form of strip spring metal, which engage the stationary slides or guides 29 and 30 which are shoe projects on both sides of the hook, 14

or 15, that carries it and is in the line of travel of the endless chain 1 so that when said shoes are below the horizontal portions of the guides 29 and 30 the shanks of the hooks 14 and 15 will be perpendicular or at other predetermined positions, so as to impart a definite location to the bight portions of the hooks to definitely locate such hook portions with reference to the dislodging mechanism that is to remove the load parts 26 therefrom.

The load or object removing mechanism is desirably inclusive of a pair of hooks 31, 32 which are spaced apart to permit the hooks 14 and 15 and parts constantly moving therewith to pass therebetween, the stationary track 22 obviously being also disposed between these books as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 9. The dislodging hooks 31 and 32 are provided with actuating mechanism that causes them to engage the particular load portion 26 that is carried by the pair of hooks 14 and 15 that happens to be between the former hooks 31 and 32 and to lift this load portion clear of the hooks l4 and 15 and permit these latter hooks to travel on. The movement imparted to the dislodging hooks is suited to the disposition that is to be made of the dislodged load portion. In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated the dislodged load portion, the spring mattress structure 26, is dipped into a body of paint 33 which is contained in a vat 34 located below the dislodging hooks. After such dipping the load portion 26 is elevated from the vat and is preferably restored to the books 14 and 15 from which it was previously removed by the dislodging hooks. To this end the mechanism that controls the dislodging hooks imparts a motion to these books which moves the load portion from the dotted position thereof shown at the lower part of Fig. 8 at the right to the position indicated in full lines at the left of Fig. 8, the path followed by the engaged parts of the load being generally indicated by the portion of the dot and dash line that joins the aforesaid dotted and full line positions of the load portion. The horizontal dot and dash lines in Fig. 8 between which the aforesaid dot and dash line intervenes indicate the normal direction of movement imparted to the load by the hanger hooks 14 and 15.

A part of the mechanism which is in controlling relation to the dislodging book is carried by the floor 85, the two floors 23 and 35 being, in the actual embodiment of the invention, floors of a factory building. The shanks of the dislodging hooks are, therefore, atl elongated in order that they may end a suitable distance above the upper floor. The two shanks are brou ht together, at their upper portions, in or er that they may both be suitably operated upon ply the associated actuating mechanism s a trated mostclearly in Fig. 6. The

mechanism that operates the dislodging books is operated by the same motor 6 that actuates the traveling belt 1.

To this end a bevel pinion 36 is fixed upon the shaft of the pulley 8 and is in mesh with a bevel pinion '37 fixed u 11 one end of a shaft 38 whose other on carries a bevel pinion 39. The latter bevel pinion is in mesh with a bevel pinion 40 whose shaft carries a sprocket wheel 41 which drives a sprocket chain 42. This chain passes over a driven sprocket wheel 43 whose shaft 44 carries two sprocket pinions 45 and 46. These sprocket pinions respectively drive sprocket chains 47 and 48 which'drive wheels 49 and 50. The sprocket wheels 49 and 50 are provided with independent shafts 51 and 52. These shafts are coaxial and move in unison, being merely separated to permit the stems of the dislodging hooks to pass therebetween. Sprocket pinions 53 and 54 are carried upon the inner ends of shafts 51 and 52. These sprocket pinions drive endless sprocket chains or belts 55 and 56. Additional sprocket pinions 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62 are in mesh with the sprocket chain 55 to define a peculiarly shaped orbit therefor, all of these additional sprocket wheels thatare in mesh with this sprocket chain 55 bein idlers. Sprocket chain '56 also passes over a ditional sprocket pinions placed similarly to the sprocket pinions 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62 to impart a similar obit to the chain 56. The sprocket pinion 63 which is positioned similarly to sprocket pinion 58 also serves to drive a sprocket inion 64 which is fixed upon the same sha t therewith. This sprocket inion drives an endless sprocket chain or belt 65 that drives another sprocket pinion 66. A sprocket pinion 67 is upon the same shaft with the sprocket pinion 66 and drives an endless sprocket chain or belt 68. This latter sprocket chain passes over idler sprocket'pinlons 69, 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74. The sprocket pinions that are in mesh with the s rocket chain 68 impart an orbit to this 0 ain which is similiar to the orbits imparted to the chains 55 and 56. The orbits of the three chains'55, 56 and 68 are exactly of the same shape, the orbits of the chains 55 and 56 being exactly abreast horizontally and the orbit of the chain 68 being above the orbit of the chain 56. The stems of both dislodging hooks 31 and 32 are in pivotal connection with the chains 55, 56 and 68 as indicated at 75, 7 6 and 77, these pivotal connections being at similar points of these three chains. The stems of the dislodging hooks are thus vertical as they 1 y from t is paint and is afterwards deposited preferably u n the same hanger hooks from which said oad rtion was lifted. Each load portion 26 is lifted from its hanger hooks 14 and 15 when these hanger hooks and the load dislodging hooks 31 and 32 reach the general position of the dislodging book 31 indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 8. Such load portion is re-de osited upon its hanger hooks when these anger hooks and the dislodgin hooks reach the osition shown in full lines at the left of ig. 8. In order that the dislodging hooks may perform their full function, they must be moved to be inserted beneath the load portion when dislodging this load portion and 4 to be withdrawn rom this load portion when redepositin same upon the corresponding hanger hoo s on which account the cycle of movement of each of the pivotal connections 75, 76 and 7 7 is commenced and completed during the movement of the hanger hooks a distance equal tothe distance between the axes of the stems of two adjacent pairs of such hanger hooks. To insure the maintenance of the shanks of the dislodging hooks in their vertical planes of movement, I provide guides 78, arranged in pairs, and between which said shanks are snugly confined.

.After each load portion 26 has been removedfrom the vat and redeposited upon the hanger hooks that carried it above the vat it is carried by saidhanger hooks through the drying or bakin oven 79 which is supplied with suitable ieating means such as the steam piping 80 disposed along its side walls. After the paint upon each object 26 has been suitably dried or baked in the oven 79 and has passed beyond such oven a suitable distance it is removed by hand from the hanger hooks that supported it.

Changes may be made without departing tion to thedislodging hook to lower the dis-' lodging'hook and the object, said mechanism including means for thereafter lifting the dislodging hook to position the object to be caught byand redeposited upon the supporting hook; and means for coordinating the movement of said mechanism and said conveyor, whereby the dislodging hook is caused to overtake the supporting hook.

2. The combination with an object carrier for lowering and lifting. objects; of a plurality of vertically related endless belts with which'said object carrier is joined at vertically spaced a art points and provided with means for de ning an orbit for the object carrier, said orbit having two upward and two downward flights, said means including means for maintaining said'points substantially in a common vertical plane transversely of the belts.

3. The combination with a traveling conveyor; of an object supporting hook caused thereby to travel therewith; a dislodging hook for removing the object from the supporting hook; and mechanism in actuating relation to the dislodging hook to lower the dislodging hook and the object, said mechanism including an endless belt with which the dislodging hook is joined and which belt is provided with means for defining an orbit for the dislodging hook, said orbit having a plurality of upward and a plurality of downward flights.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, two endless chains arranged to move respectively in horizontal and vertical planes, the horizontally moving endless chain having a series of hooks carried thereby each for supporting an object and the vertically moving chain having a book thereon adapted to dislodge an object from a hook of the horizontally moving chain and to return it to said hook after having moved the object vertically, said vertically moving chain having an orbit causing the dislodging hook to describe a lateral path to one side of its vertical paths and being timed to overtake the same hook of the horizontally moving chain from which the object was dislodged.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, an endless chain arranged to move in a horizontal plane, said chain having means for supporting an object, and a plurality of vertically moving chains, one arranged above the other, a shank pivoted to both said vertically moving chains and having a hook adapted to dislodge an object from the horizontally moving chain and to return. it to said horizontally moving chain after having moved the object vertically.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, an endless chain arranged to move in a horizontal plane, said chain having a series of hooks carried thereby each for supporting an object, and a plurality of vertically moving chains, one arranged above the other, a shank pivoted to both said vertically moving chains and having a hook adapted to dislodge an object from the hook of the horizontally moving chain and to return it to said hook after having moved the object vertically, said vertically moving chains describing exactly the same orbit and said orbit maintaining said shank vertical and causing the shank to describe a lateral path to one side of its vertical paths.

In apparatus of the class described, the combination with an endless chain; of object supporting hooks arranged to travel laterally with said chain; a dislodging hook; mechanism including a chain and series of sprockets for causing the dislodging hook to move upwardly to dislodge an object from a supporting hook, then to move downwardly to enter the object into a dipping tank, then to move upwardly and laterally to over take the hook originally carrying the object, and then to move downwardly to deposit the object on the hook.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with an endless chain; of object supporting hooks arranged to travel laterally with said chain; a dislodging hook; mechanism including a chain and series of sprockets for causing the dislodging hook to move upwardly to dislodge an object from a supporting hook, then to move downwardly to enter the object into a dipping tank, then to move upwardly and laterally into the vicinity of a hook upon said chain, and then to move downwardly to deposit the object on the latter hook; and means for maintaining the supporting hooks vertical.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

WILLIAM E. WUNDERLICH. 

